The present invention relates to a data processing method and apparatus, which process binary data and meta-data, and a storage medium.
Meta-data is xe2x80x9cdata pertaining to dataxe2x80x9d, and is used as data that explains binary data such as image data, audio data, and the like. However, when binary data and corresponding meta-data are present as independent files, the user must manage the binary data and meta-data at the same time upon moving or copying files, resulting in inconvenience.
In general, in order to facilitate management of binary data and meta-data, various methods that describe binary data and meta-data have been proposed. Such conventional techniques can be categorized into methods of defining new binary formats, and methods that manage those data using databases.
As examples of the method of defining a new binary format, Tiff, Exif, Flashpix, and the like are known as new image formats. FIG. 21 shows the concept of a format in which meta-data is embedded in binary data. As binary data, for example, image data is used. As shown in FIG. 21, a field for describing meta-data is normally allocated in the header field of an image, and the user describes meta-data in that field. By describing meta-data in such way, data can be easily searched and classified. Since binary data includes meta-data, they can be managed by a single file, thus allowing relatively easy file management.
A method of managing binary data and meta-data using a database will be explained below. FIG. 22 shows the concept of the method of managing binary data and meta-data using a database. The method of managing binary data and meta-data, which are present as independent files, using a database or the like, as shown in FIG. 22, is also prevalent. In this case, existing binary data can be used by an existing application without any modifications.
However, the method of defining a new format that describes meta-data, and the method of managing meta-data using a database suffer their respective problems.
When a new format that describes meta-data is defined, existing binary data must be converted into the new format, and meta-data must be described in that new format. Furthermore, in order to search binary data using the meta-data in the new format, an application compatible to the new format is required. That is, in order to describe and use meta-data, a large number of steps and dedicated environment are required. Also, in order to process binary data in such new format (e.g., to reproduce an image if the binary data is image data), an application compatible to that format is required, and an existing application cannot cope with this situation.
In addition, since the description method of meta-data is uniquely determined in the new format, a new search routine must be created to create an application that uses meta-data in the new format. Furthermore, in order to describe meta-data in a new field, the specifications of the format must be changed.
On the other hand, when binary data and meta-data are simultaneously managed using a database, meta-data can be neither registered nor used if database software is not available. Also, in order to display registered meta-data, dedicated software is required. Furthermore, when binary data is read out from the database, meta-data does not come with it, i.e., binary data without meta-data is formed.
Furthermore, in both the aforementioned two methods, upon changing or modifying meta-data, the following problem is posed. That is, when meta-data has already been present, if new meta-data is registered, it is automatically overwritten on old one. Therefore, if the user wants to leave the existing meta-data, he or she must acquire this existing meta-data, and must add and update this meta-data.
When meta-data are provided in different languages (natural languages), meta-data translated into a desired language must be created, and must be added or replace the existing data. When the existing data are replaced, they are lost. On the other hand, when the translated meta-data are added, identical contents are displayed in different languages, resulting in inconvenience.
Furthermore, new binary data may be created by synthesizing a plurality of binary data. In such case, the aforementioned method of defining a new format that can describe meta-data, and method of managing meta-data using a database suffer the following problems.
Upon synthesizing two data in the new format that describes meta-data, meta-data included in these two data are lost or only one meta-data is left.
When a database is used, if binary data for which meta-data have already been registered are synthesized, new meta-data must be added, and one of a plurality of synthesized meta-data must be registered as that for synthesized binary data, resulting in very troublesome operations.
Conventionally, in order to describe a relationship among a plurality of binary data, various methods are used. For example, as an example of describing the relationship among a plurality of binary data, a digital album using a plurality of still images and moving images, and a multimedia document such as a home page using image data and audio data are known.
In such multimedia document including moving image data, still image data, text data, and the like, the relationship among a plurality of binary data is described using a link format file (FIG. 23) that describes the locations of a plurality of still and moving images, a file (FIG. 24) with a format unique to an application, or the like. For example, the link format file is written in, e.g., HTML, and its contents can be confirmed using, e.g., a browser. In a file with a format unique to an application, its contents are confirmed using the corresponding application.
However, both these methods suffer a problem of how to associate a multimedia document that manages a plurality of binary data to that binary data. That is, in case of a format unique to an application, a very large, single file including a plurality of binary data is formed, and it becomes difficult to independently handle data. On the other hand, when the relationship is described in a link format, e.g., in HTML, the relationship among a plurality of binary file cannot be obtained if no HTML file is available, and binary data and its management data cannot often be managed systematically.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned problems that pertain to the description and search of meta-data, and has as its object to allow registration of meta-data in binary data without any influences on existing applications.
It is another object of the present invention to provide binary data registered with meta-data in a format that can be processed by an existing application.
It is still another object of the present invention to save existing meta-data if it is already present, and to allow additional registration of new meta-data.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow presentation of meta-data history when a plurality of meta-data are registered.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow use of existing tools for a data description language by describing meta-data using a general data description language, so as to facilitate development of a compatible application.
It is still another object of the present invention to extract meta-data from binary data in which the meta-data is described, so as to be able to use it in processes such as search, reference, change, and the like.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow effective use of existing meta-data upon describing new meta-data in binary data, which is generated by synthesizing a plurality of binary data.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow selective description of existing meta-data in synthesized binary data depending on purposes, when meta-data have already been registered in correspondence with a plurality of binary data to be synthesized.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow description of only data contained in all meta-data, when meta-data have already been registered in correspondence with a plurality of binary data to be synthesized.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow description of the relationship among a plurality of binary data in each of binary data as meta-data, and to obviate the need for use of an HTML file or album file to describe the relationship among a plurality of binary data.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow search for a plurality of associated binary data based on single binary data by providing meta-data of respective binary data to each binary data.